A Necessary Killing

The William Constable series of Elizabethan mysteries by Paul Walker has definitely won me over. I read a lot of mystery novels set in this time period, and the William Constable ones are unique among them. The reason for this is the central character—William Constable. Elizabethan mysteries are rife with preening popinjays, hot-tempered young men quick to take offense, and nobles aware of their own superiority. What's lacking—particularly in the male characters—are individuals who are humble and kind, who know their own worth, but don't feel it places them above others. Enter William Constable. He is a reluctant intelligencer who values his quiet home life and his career as a physician and astrologer, who tends carefully to his ailing mother, and who treats his finance with respect, as well as affection.

The second book in the series, A Necessary Killing, picks up almost immediately after the point when the first ended. A great fleet of ships is preparing for a long voyage that will visit multiple ports, trading goods (including human beings) at a profit and that will finish with attacks on Spanish treasure ships returning from the New World. But the launching of the voyage keeps getting postponed: first by problems with suppliers, refitting of ships, and uncertain financing, later by a murder investigation and acts of possible treason.

The central puzzle is complex enough to keep readers guessing and Constable is excellent company. I highly recommend this title for anyone who appreciates historical fiction and/or mysteries.

I received a free electronic review copy of this book from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

(I've posted my review of this title on GoodReads, LibraryThing, and Amazon.)

A Worthy sequel to State of Treason. William Constable, physician, astronomer and reluctant spy is back, this time in Plymouth awaiting a fleet of ships setting sail for the New World. All is not well however and what follows is a fast paced, compelling plot full of twists and turns and excellent character driven narrative in a classic whodunit with a difference. Constable is still the highlight of the story but other characters – Wicken, Sir John Hawkins etc – are equally well drawn. This really is an excellent series. Highly recommend.

The second William Constable, physician, scientist and spy story set in the late 16th century when Catholics had been routed but not quite, spies and traitors abounded and adventure to the west was open. This time William travels to Plymouth to test out his latitude measuring device on board merchant vessel preparing for a trip to the far west. He leaves behind his beloved fiancee with her father; murder occurs, William successfully defends the accused and further twists and turns bring fiancee and her father to Plymouth. Intrigue and politics get in the way of the ships' departure leading to frustration, anger and violence before all is sorted. All very well written, well drawn realistic characters and well described places. Several threads all come together in a satisfactory way. A good series of which I would like to read more. Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

The second in the William Constable Spy Thriller series, this continues with Constable working with those about to embark on a great venture to the New Lands.

The first in the series saw Constable create a device to assist in the ships navigation and we pick up with all the ships assembled at Plymouth.

Unfortunately, a young man from a renowned family is found murdered and Captain Charles Wicken is accused of murder. Grateful for his assistance when he was previously attacked,  Constable finds himself obliged to assist in clearing his friends name.
During his own investigation he uncovers a possible threat to the state which could halt the great venture and instead see the ships turned to defend the kingdom.

Constable reaches out to Walsingham to alert him and an undercover investigation commences. In an effort to protect the state and the great venture he is sent to St Malo where he ends up having to evade his enemies to return to Plymouth and his betrothed.

Can he uncover the truth about the plot and his friends involvement in the murder of a young man?

The author has continued this story with some of my favourite characters. I was a bit disappointed Foxe wasn't in this one as I liked his character in the first book but I liked that the books are connected through the great venture and his relationships with some of the characters.

Helen has grown on me in this book and I have enjoyed how her character has developed. This is another great and easy to read book and I'm pleased to see there is a further instalment planned.

1579. An exciting time for shipping and exploring. William Constable physician, inventor and now an unwitting spy is caught up in circumstances beyond his control.

Constable is a different character from the rest of the ships captains. He is simple, unassuming, kind, respectful and loves his fiancee and is keen for the voyage to be over so that he could marry. He really wishes he could get out of this voyage but does not see a way out. The purpose is to go to the New World, trade in goods and slaves, plunder ships that are sailing back and eventually become very rich.

The killings which take place adds to the delay in setting off on their journeys. The getting ready and refitting of the ships before the journey is descriptive enough for a story and the mystery and the characters involved in the story add to its interest.

This was not fast paced but it did not plod along either.

A gripping and entertaining story, fast paced and full of twists and turns.
I loved the solid mystery that kept me guessing, the well researched historical background, the fleshed out cast of characters.
I look forward to reading other books in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Rating: 3.5 rounded up to 4 Elizabethan stars

This is the second installment in the ‘William Constable Spy Thriller’ series. It is set in Elizabethan England in 1579. This book is set primarily in Plymouth not in London like the first book. William Constable is helping a British fleet prepare for departure on an extended seafaring mission. They are to defeat the Spanish at sea, and then head to the New World to gather riches and claim land for Queen Elizabeth. Constable has developed a new sailing navigational tool. His soon to be father-in-law pressures him to join the expedition to help ensure its success. Constable is not keen on joining a multi-year voyage, which doesn’t have high odds of success. However, he does want to marry his betrothed, Helen, so he reluctantly agrees to join the fleet in Plymouth.

Soon after his arrival, nefarious events start befalling him and others in the group. He is almost murdered while journeying to another seaside town. However, his rescuer is soon arrested for the murder of a local well-connected young man. Constable cannot believe his rescuer, Charles Wicken, to be guilty of the murder. He sets off to prove the man’s innocence. He angers the local townsfolk in the process.

The plot and action moves more quickly past this point and the book finishes with a big flourish and a surprise. (No --- I am NOT going to provide a spoiler.) I was happy that this book moved along more quickly than the first book in the series. It is a fine work in the Historical Mystery genre. I look forward to reading the third installment in this series. I hope it will be published soon.

‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, Books Go Social; and the author, Paul Walker for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is not first I've read of this character, and it's vastly enjoyable and a way of learning history, if only embellished (but then all history is). Great characters and observations on historical figures . Really enjoyable if prolonged at some points .. never mind!

Received from Net Gallery to read to give my review of this mystery book. It is so exciting on the fact this series picks up on a death that needs to be solved. You have this mystery set behind a historical time in history. You have exciting characters where you almost figure out what's going on and who did it and then you find out your wrong,well I was wrong,lol. !! You have everything to make a exciting story of spies,mystery,and yes,who did this? The plot thickening where it gets you on the very edge of your seat that you can't read fast enough to find out what happens next! I recommend this book,well,series to the anyones who loves spies,murder and in a very well researched mystery for you to figure out who did it!! It's a MUST READ!!🙈🙉🙊

Once again I take my hat off to Paul Walker for creating such an authentic (as far as we can see if from the 21 century) atmosphere of 16th century England and Europe. His hero William Constable has come back for a new adventure.
William Constable, who is he? Is he a spy? A fighter? A scholar? A groom? A future son-in-law? William has to juggle so many roles for himself serving the country and his interests at the same time.
I especially enjoyed unhurried conversations in the halls, explanations of tools, events and people.
The book is a workout for a brain. The fans of British history will find this book fascinating and a very detailed work. This story is not so much about a crime and solving the crime as it is about who is who and what is what in England in 16th century.

Well I don't always like second books but this one I really did enjoy. I don't want to day to much could spoil it for people but a very good read and I'm very glad I got to read both books in this set. Highly recommended.

Once again a big thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a free advance copy of this book. This is the 2nd installment of the William Constable spy thriller series and I have really enjoyed both books. They are filled with historical figures and much historical accuracy, as in this book we continue to follow Constable as there is intrigue about a possible sailing of merchant ships to the New World in the late 16th century. Constable is a physician and in both books he is both good, as well as fortunate. Fortunate here because his fiancé, Helen, is the daughter of one of the aristocrats who has ships involved in this venture, and also is a pretty smart lady in her own right! The plot is simple. Constable is nearly killed to begin the book and his savior is eventually charged with the murder of a man in the port of Plymouth where half the fleet is docked. Constable is obliged to defend this man, Charles Wicken, but from soon after the trial things do not seem quite right. Well from there we go off on more security issues about the fleet, about Queen Elizabeth, about Ireland, etc. and the book just becomes one you cannot put down by the end. And that is why I only give this a 4**** rating. It is very well written, and the last half of the book just flies by, but the first third of the book just drags a bit too much. How much, I actually started and finished 4 other books before returning to this book. That happened in the first book of the series and so this pattern needs to change in order for me to give it a higher rating, but it will not stop me from requesting and reading the continued saga of Dr. William Constable when it comes out in 2020!

A Necessary Killing is the first book I've read by author Paul Walker I discovered later that it is the second book in the William Constable series of spy thrillers. That wasn't a problem because the book can easily be read as a stand alone work.
I must say that in the beginning I had great difficulty getting into the story and I found it rather slow paces but once I had read the first five or so chapters I got drawn into the plot and the story got more interesting,
William Constable is a likeable character and I liked reading about a period of English history I know relatively little about and it was interesting to read about maritime history and exploration.
I think the author did a wonderful job weaving historical figures and developments and fiction into an intriguing story.

3,5 starts, because of the slow start

I want to thank Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book, the characters were great and I really enjoyed the mystery in the novel. I look forward to more from the author.

William Constable physician and spy is in Plymouth waiting to sail on an expedition to the New World. He is contemplating his last day on earth when he is attacked by cutthroats. The day is saved by his friend Captain Charles Wicken. William is able to pay Wicken back when he uncovers a plot to accuse Wicken of murder. There are many devious plots abound in this mystery. William will have to find who is for the Queen and who is a traitor. A well paced mystery keeps you on your toes till the final chapter.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book involving William Constable though I’d suggest that it could be read as a stand-alone as it does recap some of the events from the first story. The character of Constable continues to grow with this instalment and his relationships with other characters only strengthen his progress.

Many thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for giving me permission to read this in order for me to provide an honest opinion.

I somehow missed the fact that I had both the first and the second book of the series. If I had, I would have read or at least reviewed them at the same time. I find it easier to put together my thoughts when sequels are in question together. It is just a feeling that any reader would find it bolstering to know that a particular series goes somewhere before investing time in it.
This continues to be a very immersive series. I have mentioned this before and will have to iterate that knowledge of the royals and the loyalties of those in power in 1570s England will enhance the reading experience. I do not have any such knowledge, but I still enjoyed this book.
The question of who is on the wrong side was successfully carried through most of the narrative. In the previous instalment, William Constable designed a piece of equipment that would help sailing with a purpose, and he is to be on board to explain the use of the equipment. Before their plan is put into action, things start to go wrong.
William Constable is a man with a reasonable moral compass, although it does not really help him make sense of the events around him or even control his own actions. He is a man missing his future wife when his life is put into danger multiple times.
I went back and forth with my guesses for the ending, which means I saw some of it coming. Despite that fact, the book delivers on the kind of narrative it promises in the blurb. It was faster to read than the previous work since it focuses more on action (of both the good and the bad guys) than on theory.
I would pick up the next just to see what he does with his life next.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.